Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Hazel-rah · 12-24-2004, 06:16 AM

This time from Siloam, where Jesus healed the blind man:

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Quote:

JERUSALEM — Archaeologists in Jerusalem have identified the remains of the Siloam Pool, where the Bible says Jesus miraculously cured a man's blindness, researchers said Thursday — underlining a stirring link between the works of Jesus and ancient Jewish rituals.

The archaeologists are slowly digging out the pool, where water still runs, tucked away in what is now the Arab neighborhood of Silwan. It was used by Jews for ritual immersions for about 120 years until the year 70, when the Romans destroyed the Jewish Temple.

<snip>

In the last four months, archaeologists have revealed the pool's 50-yard length and a channel that brought in water from the Silwan spring. In the past week, a section of stone road that led from the pool to the Jewish Temple was uncovered.

"The moment that we revealed and discovered this four months ago, we were 100 percent sure it was the Siloam Pool," said archaeologist Eli Shukron.

<snip>

"The whole point is that people will not only be healed physically but also healed spiritually," he said. "This discovery helps bring the Gospel alive in the context of Jewish practice."

The archaeologists excavating the site are with the Israeli government's Antiquities Authority. They found biblical-era coins marked with ancient Jewish writing, along with pottery shards and a stone bottle cork — helping them confirm the area was the Siloam Pool.

Comparatively speaking, they're not making too many outrageous claims for this site. There must someone involved who understands that, just because you found a pool used by the Jewish community for a couple of generations that got a mention in the literature of the time, it doesn't prove the entire Bible.

butswana · 12-24-2004, 06:29 AM

I saw this on MSNBC. It's a pretty cool discovery(although it is 40 years old). As we all know, it doesn't prove shit. Save the fact that they had to wash thier dirty asses before they went to the temple. Just because Dorothy was from Kansas doesn't mean Oz is real.

Huon · 12-27-2004, 06:52 AM

It is something of a miracle to find a source in a town !

Whatcheeriid · 12-27-2004, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazel-rah

"The moment that we revealed and discovered this four months ago, we were 100 percent sure it was the Siloam Pool," said archaeologist Eli Shukron.

(emphasis mine)

Oh yeah, that's good science.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

12-24-2004, 06:29 AM	#2
butswana Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 1,804	I saw this on MSNBC. It's a pretty cool discovery(although it is 40 years old). As we all know, it doesn't prove shit. Save the fact that they had to wash thier dirty asses before they went to the temple. Just because Dorothy was from Kansas doesn't mean Oz is real.

12-27-2004, 06:52 AM	#3
Huon Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bordeaux France Posts: 2,796	It is something of a miracle to find a source in a town !

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.